Posted on 09/19/2008 10:13:32 PM PDT by neverdem
LOS ANGELES — Senator Barack Obama used one to announce to the world his choice of a running mate. Thousands of Americans have used them to vote for their favorite “American Idol” contestants. Many teenagers prefer them to actually talking. Almost overnight, text messages have become the preferred form of communication for millions.
But even as industry calculations show that Americans are now using mobile phones to send or receive more text messages than phone calls, those messages are coming under increasing fire because of the danger they can pose by distracting users. Though there are no official casualty statistics, there is much anecdotal evidence that the number of fatal accidents stemming from texting while driving, crossing the street or engaging in other activities is on the rise.
“The act of texting automatically removes 10 I.Q. points,” said Paul Saffo, a technology trend forecaster in Silicon Valley. “The truth of the matter is there are hobbies that are incompatible. You don’t want to do mushroom-hunting and bird-watching at the same time, and it is the same with texting and other activities. We have all seen people walk into parking meters or walk into traffic and seem startled by oncoming cars.”
In the latest backlash against text-messaging, the California Public Utilities Commission announced an emergency measure on Thursday temporarily banning the use of all mobile devices by anyone at the controls of a moving train.
The ban was adopted after federal investigators announced that they were looking at the role that a train engineer’s text-messaging might have played here last week in the country’s most deadly commuter rail accident in four decades.
A California lawmaker is also seeking to ban text-messaging by drivers, a step already taken by a handful of other states...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Liberals are clapping their hands at discovering yet another aspect of people’s lives that they can regulate.
When I drive by someone and I see them looking down and texting someone I want to scream. Cell phones should be banned from use while driving. We all got by just fine 10 years ago without them.
I’m glad the NYT is here to inform me about the dangers of text messaging. If I ever get a text message on my cell phone from Barak Obama or anyone else, I’ll throw it on the ground and stamp on it until it goes away. You can’t be too careful these days. All this modern technology can really harm you.
Cell phones are bad enough. Do you know how infuriating it is to try and deal with someone who is simultaneously holding a conversation over the telephone.
I can’t do it and drive so I wait till I can pull over to answer or text or I just call the sender as that is all Bluetooth hands free easy. Key is if ya can’t do it safely then don’t or some socialist POS will make that decision for ya eventually........no shame in being safe.
IMO a little self discipline goes a long way toward keeping freedoms and responsibility.
Stay safe Doc !
Nature has a reason for Darwin awards. The trouble with socialist nitwits is that they think they can perfect human nature. It can't be done.
Tasteless...but funny.
WTF is the need for texting??? I have never sent one, and the three I have received have been from wrong numbers or spammers. Phones are for talking. Emails are for purchase confirmations and little else.
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